Windsong Republic
by T.A. Saunders ©2009 v1.3 Information Population: 57.4 million (55% Human, 20% Shei, 13% Asyndi, 12% Dragonoid.) Government Type: Republic Current Head(s) of State: Congressional Speaker Milanas Thryn of Singer’s Reach. Capital: Windsong City Currency: Keshra Alliances: Kingdom of Vyss, Irys, Kingdom of Moonfall, Tallis-Kah Territories, Farwind, Taijun, Zodasia. Pacts of Nonaggression: Draconic Empire, Kingdom of Miroa, Albadosia. NOTE: Populations do not include half-breeds of species, save for Dragonoids, due to the fact that Dragonoids are so varied onto themselves, and cannot be easily folded into either dragons, or another group. Half-Shei are considered Shei, Half-Asyndi and Asyn-Shei are considered Asyndi, and Half-Xalayi are considered Xalayi. Dracothar and Half-Giants are too few in number to accurately count in a census, nor would many opt to take one. Overview The following is a list of cities within the Windsong Republic. This atlas will not be an exhaustive literary work of each city, but rather a basic guide to each city and its place on the continent of Tal’rah and further, the whole of Imarel, to give the world traveler some measure of what to expect whilst traveling abroad. Atlas of the Windsong Republic Windsong (Capital City) Windsong was the first city founded by Humans and Moon Elves on Tal’rah as part of the peace agreement that settled tensions at the conclusion of the War of the Eternals. With both races decimated and the Shar’Vaire struggling to reign in their own warring factions, Mourne Dur’lane who established himself as the new leader of the Shar’Vaire, through the brute force of his Enforcers, gave the Elves and Humans the entire eastern seaboard of the continent to settle, since the Shar’Vaire were too few in number now to control it themselves. The seat of the Windsong Republic is here, hosted by an enormous domed building in the center of the city, known as the Conclave of Lords. Each of the cities of the republic send their leaders and representatives here, to decide on issues of importance. While each city has a representative, only the major cities with a standing military: Windsong, Vale, Sharan, Tashran and Sundown are represented by ‘Lords.’ These Lords are the leaders of those major cities and decide on military action for the whole of the republic. Windsong is known for its School of Magic, as well as being a cultural center for Moon Elvish and Human art, music and dance. They host the Amphitheater of Light, where many plays and musical performances have been conducted for prestigious audiences. Windsong is also the only known available source of Moonlight Tempered Boromandite on Tal’rah. Perhaps the most notable of Windsong’s famous products are the Silverberries they cultivate into an exotic silver-colored wine. The blossoms from the rare Silverberries are are made into perfumes for women that is both extremely expensive and considered to be most alluring to those to catch its light, sweet scent. Vale Vale is a fairly large city consisting mostly of Moon Elves and represents perhaps the strongest concentration of their people anywhere. While a few Humans and Half-Elves live here, Vale is largely considered an Elvish refuge and favors the old style of architecture from the original Sivanoshi Elves and Ishaela. While Humans are generally welcome in the city, Vale is one of the cities in the republic that Shar’Vaire are at best, greeted with a cold shoulder and at worst treated with thinly veiled hostility. Quar’Vess are given a bit more leniency, however Dragons are treated only slightly better than Shar’Vaire. Vale is largely known for its fine silks, Lasher leather and other textiles that it imports across the continent and beyond. Vale is also rumored to be home to a secretive Moon Elvish cult known as the Shei-Toru that are rumored to be Elvish purists and seek to expunge all other races from the Republic. While not outwardly dangerous, there have been stories of Shar’Vaire being beaten or killed by Shei-Toru. Tashran The mighty trading city of Tashran is primary a city populated by what is popularly referred to as ‘The People of the South’ despite the fact that Tashran itself is a mid-eastern city, though a few Elves and more than a few Shar’Vaire call Tashran their home. Tashran is a lively city that often has dancing in the streets, song in the air and a knife in the back for those who are loose with their tongues or careless with their gold. Tashran is a city of duality; while on the surface it seems very affluent and welcoming, below this veneer exists a corrupt government which is bought and paid for by the city’s Thieves’ Guild, known as the Hazjid. The Hazjid is an accepted part of Tashran, with generations of families raised within its ranks. Local businesses pay their protection due to the Hazjid and in turn they ensure nobody steals their profits or harms their employees or their families. Those businesses that operate outside their protection are few and often short lived, due to ‘accidents’. Tashran is known for their horses, their coffee and their legendary Firewater that has been known to bring even the most stout and experienced drinker into a stumbling stupor. Tashran also hosts many of the land-based trade caravans on Tal’rah and often surrounding the city itself, can be seen thousands of tent-camps from caravan travelers. Sundown Sundown is one of the more recent additions to the republic, having been a long troubling adversary before its eventual inclusion. Sundown was supposed to be one of the founding cities, having been populated by Hill-folk from Brookshire at the end of the War of Eternals, but due to shady political maneuvering from within, Sundown actually never joined. With her recent civil war that liberated her from the vampires that controlled the government, the city has finally taken its place as an established member of the republic. Sundown is a coastal city, populated by a melding pot of races, though mostly consisting of Hill-folk, Moon Elves and a handful of Tashrani that made settled there. Like Tashran, it is a wealthy city, but suffers from a core of corruption that was seeded by the Ko’rashae Rivas and her vampire regime. With her death and the rise of a new government set on expunging this corruption from all its offices, Sundown…while still considered morally bankrupt by many, has the promising rays of a new dawn on its horizon. Sundown is known for its stout, its Lasher meat, its fishing exports and a source of many of the cannons, flintlocks and blunderbusses that are seen throughout the republic. It also boasts the only military airship in the Republic, from its recent capture of the Falling Orchid from Ko, which was re-commissioned as the S.C.N. Dauntless. This vessel is the flagship in what promises to be the first non-Asyndi airship navy on Imarel. Brynmere Glade The town of Brynmere Glade is a small farming community of mostly Hill-folk and Tashrani that have settled here in hopes of having a better way of life, than what either Tashran or Sundown could offer them. Mostly folk that grew tired of the corruption in those cities, Brynmere Glade stands apart as a very simple, warm and friendly city where people can generally leave their doors unlocked at night and feel safe to offer shelter to a wandering stranger. Brynmere Glade exports beef, chicken, lamb, eggs milk and a host of other farm products that supply the entire republic. The other thing Brynmere Glade is renown for is its chocolate candies. Brynmere Glade chocolate is hand made by a closely guarded secret recipe of the Otterton family that has never been written down. The Ottertons were amongst the first settlers of Brynmere Glade and their secret chocolate recipe has been handed down over the generations by word of mouth only. Sharan This city has the distinction of being the only city in the republic mostly settled by Northlander refugees that remained on Tal’rah after the Battle of Blackgate. Sharan was originally a Shar’Vaire city that was abandoned after the War of Eternals, having been devastated by so much in-fighting between factions. Many examples of Shar’Vaire architecture remain within older portions of the city, repaired by Human hands, interspersed with newer and more Northlandic structures ringing these older buildings. Sharan has a Hell of a problem…literally. Unbeknownst to the Northlander refugees that settled here, many fiends that remained from the War of Eternals lurked, unfettered by long dead summoners that now roamed freely. These Northlanders, who had been expelled from one home, simply refused to be expelled from another and fought back the demonic presence to a tentative victory. However, the unwary discover that wandering Sharan’s streets at night in some of the older sections of the city is an invitation to become prey to some form of lesser demon or devil, or another. Sharan is home to some of the finest blacksmiths the Human race has to offer, boasting one of the few Rune Forges on Tal’rah that hearken back to the days the Dwarves of Ishaela, who passed such knowledge to the Humans. Several forms of infernal Bane Weaponry can be found in Sharan as well, due to the city’s ongoing issue with such things. Bladefall Bladefall is city nobody goes to unless they’re looking for mercenaries, assassins or other sorts of questionable repute. Her populous is filled with those who would rather not be found and will likely stab the person they discover looking for them. While this sounds strangely similar to Tashran (and much of the criminal underground in Tashran has their fingers in Bladefall) the significant difference is most of Bladefall is openly corrupt, much to the dismay of the helpless government. Having gone as far as setting their militia out into the streets to enforce the law, Bladefall is a city with a truly befitting name. The other big attraction to Bladefall is the betting on arena fighting. With the center of most of the city’s entertainment focused on its coliseum, gladiators from all over Imarel come here to prove their worth or die trying. When gladiators are not fighting in the arena, those who have captured monsters from across the world will bring them here to fight amongst one another (and sometimes with gladiators). Sidon: The quiet little city of Sidon is primarily a farming community and has little to do with the comings and goings of the rest of the republic. The city’s government consists of five town elders that maintain their positions until they die, then another elder is chosen. As very close-knit community, Sidon has very little for civil defense save a sheriff and two deputies and the ability to muster a militia from local citizenry. The Hillfolk that live here are a hard-working and generally friendly lot, though they tend to be somewhat suspicious of outsiders, especially adventuring sorts. Sidon has been called the Garden of the Republic, producing almost a quarter of the fresh fruits and vegetables that are distributed by caravan across the cities of the republic and beyond. Airships don’t normally stop here however, much to the relief of the people here, who do most everything the old fashioned way and have little need for wizards or magic. There is a town priest, dedicated to Kaal that resides here as well as a seer or two, but largely this community remains true to its rustic roots. Nauticus The city of Nauticus is a small city centered around its fishing and like Sidon has very little to do with the hustle and bustle going on elsewhere in the republic. Generally speaking, if it doesn’t have to do with catching the famous Nautican Green Lobsters, building proud wooden seafaring ladies or similar salty subject matter, most Nauticans will have very little use or understanding for it. Primarily a blend of Northlanders and Hillfolk, Nauticus is governed by a mayor that they elect every five years and does not have a standing militia. When there’s trouble the elected sheriff and his deputies can muster a militia from the townsfolk. Green Lobsters and sturdy seafaring ships are Nauticus’ major claim to fame, though people from across Imarel will come to investigate the city’s famous urban myth about the ghost of Captain Shane MacDougan who is said to haunt the shorelines of Nauticus with his ship, the Singing Witch. In the early days of the city’s founding, it is said the ship was attacked by Northlander pirates in a bloody battle that tore both the Singing Witch and the the pirate’s own vessel to shreds with cannon fire. Content that the pirates could not salvage their own ship, he set fire to the Singing Witch as the boarding pirates overtook and murdered what remains of his crew. It is said that the ship, still ablaze can be seen in the fog of night and Captain MacDougan’s mad laughter can be heard with it. Kasyr The city of Kasyr is home primarily to Tashrani peoples and a few rogue Shar`Vaire that choose to mingle with humans. Deep in the Tashri Desert and bordering on the dangerous Burning Lands, this city endures by the wit and tenacity of its people. Built upon the ruins of an ancient Shar`Vaire stronghold thought to have been constructed originally around 8750 BF, Kasyr still maintains many of the ancient sorcerous fortifications and relics that had been once intended to kill Dragons. Massive lightning ballistae sit upon the towers that ring the parameter of the city and walls fashioned out of boromandite have endured the ages, bearing the claw scratches and burn marks of enemies of ancient past and recent time both. Kasyr is run by an elected mayor that is not only elected by the people, but also must prove his or her worth by either joining in on, or having once joined a Kasyrian border patrol. It is the consensus of the populous that if you’ve never defended Kasyr from the abominations that wander out of the Burning Lands, you probably cannot govern it effectively either. The city has a standing military and separate law enforcement to maintain civil order. By and large most Kasyrians are too busy trying to not get killed by abominations, wandering demons or powerful undead to worry about trying to kill each other, but it still happens sometimes. Kasyr hosts a coliseum much like the one in Bladefall and while popular, the whole city’s culture doesn’t revolve around the betting and bloodshed there. By far the more lucrative market in this city is the market for ancient Shar`Vaire trinkets plucked out of the outlaying ruins of the Burning Lands, where top coin is often paid for any little bit of sorcerous lore or power. Many of the Shar`Vaire that live in Kasyr are fencers of many of the dangerous little baubles that come out of the wasteland. Category:World Travel Guide